A soft top conventionally comprises a rainproof fabric layer which is supported by articulated struts of a roof support structure, so as to be movable between a deployed position in which it covers the passenger compartment of a vehicle and a retracted position in which it is folded down near the rear end of the passenger compartment.
In order for the driver to be able to look backwards, the soft top must have a rear window, which must be made of a material which is both clear and flexible. As pointed out in EP 0 284 931, such a window tends to become brittle with age, and may crack when the soft top is folded or unfolded, in particular since in the unfolded state it is subject to substantial tensile stress. Repairing the window is laborious and expensive. In order to reduce the risk of breakage, the rear window of a cabriolet soft top is usually smaller than that of a sedan model of the same vehicle type, so that the passenger compartment of the cabriolet tends to be dark and sombre when the soft top is deployed.
The present invention aims at providing a soft top for a cabriolet which makes the passenger compartment bright when deployed, allowing the passengers to experience an “open air feeling” even when driving with the soft top closed, and which is nevertheless resistant to aging. In addition, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent summary, detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.